PCSO numbers in Torquay have dropped 80 per cent in recent years – and there are no plans to replace them, claim Liberal Democrats in Torbay.

Inspector Simon Jenkinson, from Devon and Cornwall Police, gave a briefing to the Liberal Democrat Group on Torbay Council last week about policing in the town.

But leader of the Liberal Democrats on Torbay Council, Cllr Steve Darling, said that although he knew how thin the thin blue line is in Torbay, they were not aware that no new PCSOs were being recruited.

And he added that he is concerned that the drop in the number of officers will mean that some of deprived communities in the town will face a collapse in community policing involvement.

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They have written a letter to Alison Hernandez, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, asking her to challenge the Chief Constable to recruit more PCSOs for Torquay.

Cllr Darling said: “We have been aware of how thin the thin blue line is in Torbay for some time but we were not aware that the service had decided not to recruit despite Torquay suffering a massive drop in numbers of these officers.

“We fear for the future of community policing in Devon and Cornwall. The introduction of this new way of working we feel is a Trojan horse that, if we sit back and accept it, will be rolled out across the force.”

He added that his group have now challenged the Police and Crime Commissioner over the drop in numbers of PCSOs in Torquay from 25 to 5 in the last few years and in a latter, asked her to try and challenge the chief constable to recruit more police officers in the town.

The letter says: “Earlier this week the Liberal Democrat group on Torbay Council received a very useful update from Simon Jenkinson of Devon and Cornwall Police. We were impressed with the work he and his colleagues are undertaking to serve communities in Torquay. However, we were not impressed with the new form of delivery of community policing in Torquay.

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“Whilst we were aware that in the last few years the number of PCSOs has gone down from 25 to effectively five (one is off on long term sickness leave), we were not aware that Torquay is an outlier in the rapid reduction of these posts.

“We accept that officers have to work with the financial hand you and the Chief Constable have dealt them, but we are very concerned that the police service, in the light of this massive drop in numbers, has chosen not to recruit more PCSOs in Torquay The new model of delivery will effectively see an end to community policing in Torquay as we know it.

“At a community meeting last night in Hele, people were concerned about the lack of policing in one of our most deprived communities in Torbay. The shortage of officers to tackle crime in Torquay will result in the concentration of resources in our town centre and some of our more deprived communities facing a collapse in community policing involvement.

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“I am particularly shocked that you, as Police and Crime Commissioner, have chosen not to demand that the Chief Constable recruit more PCSOs for Torquay to fill this gap. Are you happy that your legacy as PCC will be that of the postholder who gave the last rites to community policing as we know it? I look forward to receiving your comments.”

A spokesman for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner said: "The Commissioner acknowledges the letter from Cllr Darling.

"The PCC and her team are making enquiries and the PCC will respond to Cllr Darling in writing in accordance with OPCC policy."